How was the beginning of your career, training, and specializations?
My name is Andréa Arruda Vaz, I was born in a small town in the interior of Paraná. Daughter of farming parents, poor, black, and of indigenous descent. I have no idea when I started to consider myself literate, as it seems that I was born knowing how to read, write and count minimally. Studying has always been my greatest passion! At 8 years old I started my studies due to the distance from school. I have been working since I was 11 years old, I worked as a maid, general services assistant, packer, secretary, cashier, salesperson, Human Resources assistant, store manager, intern, assistant and legal assistant, legal supervisor until the arrival of so dreamed of OAB card. In 2003 I started law school, taking with me the responsibility of being the first person in my family’s history to enter university. In 2008 I became the first in the family to graduate from a higher education course, in 2013 the first to complete a master’s degree and, currently, the first to enter a doctorate. Approved in 1st place overall in the examination of the Order, at the time, I immediately started my career as a lawyer and immediately started to pursue my subsequent dream, that is, teaching. There were several postgraduate courses, a master’s degree, and currently a doctorate in Constitutional Law, as well as a range of training and professional training courses, exchanges, lectures inside and outside the country, and publications in dozens of countries. Teaching came into my life before I even started my master’s degree. Being a teacher is a vocation, it is love, dedication, and prospects for better days!
What is the specialty of your office? How many employees?
Currently, our office operates in several areas: Labor Law, Union Law, Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Civil Law in general and Criminal Law.
As an example of a successful businesswoman and professional, what is your opinion about the achievements of women in the labor market?
Women have to take their place in the job market and for that, they have to leave aside the idea of fragility. I don’t like the idea of being treated like a fragile and vulnerable human being. I grew up hearing from my parents that I was strong and able to achieve anything I wanted. I grew up hearing from my parents that there is no problem with being black and indigenous, but that being dishonest and without character, would be a problem. I am not saying here that women do not have particularities, such as the period of pregnancy, but when it comes to career management, we have to reflect on what we seek and want and place ourselves on an equal footing in the labor market. work.
Do women still need protection in the job market?
Yes, it does, but the time has come for us to let go of the idea of fragility and position ourselves in equal conditions. I cannot say that I have already been discriminated against, because I never let that happen, I always stood incisively, amazed, even causing embarrassment to discriminators (laughs). My parents taught me to defend myself safely and firmly from an early age. I was never encouraged to be fragile, sit and cry, but to fight back, respond and stand up for myself and that made me the woman I am today. I feel very happy for the career that I achieved, for the achievements, and for the place that I occupy today. I feel that I appropriated my space and built it in the best way possible. Today I am sure that I can reach unthinkable places, as I have found that I have no limits. Nowadays, I look at my life trajectory with a lot of love, respect, and, of course, pride in the woman I have become. Looking at my professional past and being grateful for all the places I went through is a great privilege because in all of them I had learnings and lessons that help me to build even better days.
What are the awards and certifications achieved by the firm?
In 2020 we won the gold category award by the National Agency for Culture, Entrepreneurship, and Communication.
Space for subjects of interest:
I am interested in culture, business, agribusiness, law, research in the field of law in the national and international context.
